Grief and whisky led to a pensioner taking to the road while double the drink-drive limit.

Megan Keeler, of Atlantic Drive, Broad Haven, pleaded guilty to driving while over the legal alcohol limit when she appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, January 7.

Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court a concerned motorist contacted the police after following Keeler’s Honda Jazz on the Tiers Cross to Milford Haven road at 7pm on December 17.

“The witness was concerned because she was driving so slowly and crossing the white lines in the centre of the road. The vehicle then sped up, went up to 60mph while still crossing the lines in the middle of the road.”

The witness spoke to Keeler, 76, after she parked in Milford Haven described and her as appearing ‘disorientated’. She stated that she did not actually drink, when asked if she was drunk.

Keeler was found to have 76mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, more than double the legal limit of 35mg.

She told police she was upset following the recent death of her son.

Jonathan Webb, defending, said Keeler was previously of clean character, and had been teetotal for several years.

A distressing message about her son, and an unexpected visit from an old friend of her late husband led to her drinking whisky on an empty stomach.

“Some hours later she jumped in the car believing that the alcohol would not be in her system. She felt okay to drive and believed that she was.”

Mr Webb added: “She says she understands the extreme gravity and seriousness of the offence.

“She is ashamed and wishes to apologise to the court.”

Magistrates banned Keeler from driving for 20 months and fined her £233.

She was ordered to pay £117 in costs and a surcharge.